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.
I was first introduced to Serayah on FOX's hit show Empire as "Tiana Brown", but she clearly hasn't slowed down on anything else that she has going for herself - and that's a Fendi fact. Since the release of her debut single "Driving Me" featuring Jazze Pha in 2017, the past three years have been nothing less than a rising success for the beautiful and talented sensation named Serayah McNeill.
As we've seen her grow into the artist, dancer and actress that she is today, the "Love It" songstress has gone into the entertainment world as more than just a one-hitter quitter on a television show. If you don't catch her between releasing new music with Blac Youngsta or making cute YouTube vids and TikTok challenges with her heartthrob bae Jacob Latimore, Serayah can be found on your radio or on a playlist across the nation and on your television screens on shows.
In addition to her undeniable talent, Serayah has enviably flawless skin. According to the California native, she owes a lot to feeding her skin what it needs. "I love natural products. Anything natural, I will try it first, but I have learned that there are some chemicals that are kind of good for your skin that keep it balanced like salicylic acid and glycolic acid. I've learned some things, but I'm glad I have because your skin changes as you get older and you try to manage it - those are some things that have helped me," she explained to xoNecole.
We had the chance to speak with the 24-year-old actress, singer and philanthropist about unwinding with wine and a good book, learning to go with the flow of her skin during the change in seasons and her growing obsession with Mario Badescu and Patrick Ta.
My earliest beauty memory...
"Stealing my mom's eyeliner - I think I was in seventh grade. I wanted to start wearing eyeliner and mascara, and I knew my mom had it. I snuck in there and I took some of her eyeliner before school, and she's like, 'I cannot find this eyeliner. I just cannot find my eyeliner!' Then she's like, 'Do you have on eyeliner?' And it was so funny. That was probably in seventh grade or somewhere around middle school."
My morning skincare routine consists of...
"It changes every once in a while because I learned that it's kind of good to not do the same exact thing everyday to give your skin a break on some products. My typical day-to-day is to wake up, try to meditate, get in the shower and things like that. For my beauty routine, right now I love the PCA [Skin Pigment] Bar. It has an exfoliator pad that it comes with and it's really, really good at getting the top surface of the skin off to be fresh for the day. Then, I've been following that with moisturizer. A good serum, a good moisturizer and good face wash is basically the three things I go for."
My evening routine looks like...
"A couple of drinks. No, I'm just kidding (laughs). No, for real - unwinding for me is wine or some type of light alcoholic beverage. Not every night, but I mean during quarantine, it's been more than usual. A bath or a night hot shower, drinks, something great on TV or a good book, and even some music to just sort of vibe out."
My skincare routine in the PM consists of...
"At night, I have more dry skin on the scale, so I tend to do the same routine, but I'll do a thicker, more moisturizing moisturizer before I go to bed."
How my skincare changes for the seasons...
"Fall and winter, I'm [into] tea tree oil, honey and coconut masks for my face and lots of masks to give moisture to my face because like I said, I'm more on the dry scale. Moisture, moisture, moisture is my thing! Anything that has great moisture without being too greasy, but it's just really moisturizing, my skin just sucks it up.
"[One of] my favorite [products] is the rosewater [facial spray] by Mario Badescu. Spring or summer, I try to carry around one of those for hydration throughout the day. Then for face wash, I try to do serums and I try to do stuff that [doesn't have] too much Vitamin C or isn't skin brightening just because the sun is out."
How I approach beauty from the inside-out...
"[I] work out, eat good, meditation, read, and journal. I'm reading - for the second time - The Four Agreements and A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle.
My go-to makeup look consists of...
"I do wear makeup, and my go-to is a good bright under-eye, a medium coverage foundation, a really bronzy natural contour. I go for light powder, especially during the summer, because you don't want to be cakey and sweaty during the summer. Light powder, a more cream-based foundation, and I'll do some eyebrows, gloss and a big thing for me is highlighter. I love cream highlighters, powder highlighters, anything to make me look more sun-kissed is my vibe.
"A lot of people don't like this one because most people are oily or normal-to-oily, but I really love MAKE UP FOR EVER's Cream Foundation Stick. It works perfect for me and it doesn't move. One of my other favorite things right now is Morphe's Brow Pencil because it's more on the waxy side and I like that because it gives me room to build instead of my eyebrows being so dark, and for that natural bushy brow look. Another one of my favorites right now is Glow - it's this highlighter from Patrick Ta. He has some of my favorite lip glosses and highlighters right now."
What self-care looks like to me...
"My boyfriend calls me 'Walgreens'. Maybe it's because I'm a Gemini and I can't do the same thing everyday, but I just love having many body washes to choose from in my shower. Those are must-haves and moisturizers and lotions - I love it. I'm just into it, I try all different kinds, and I have so many different ones. It's just my thing.
"My favorite scents are definitely vanilla, peony, and I like the tobacco-infused candles as well. Mahogany is another favorite of mine."
My travel beauty essentials...
"I think a really cool thing is seeing people travel with masks and stuff, but I haven't gotten there yet. My favorite thing probably in the entire world is my lip moisture or Chapstick, especially because travel makes me drier. Mario Badescu has a really good lip balm that I'm loving right now, as well as that good ole cocoa butter lip balm is my favorite. Another travel must-have is taking some sort of travel-sized face to keep my face routine up while I'm traveling because I just have to exfoliate. If I don't, then I don't feel like my makeup is right and don't feel like I feel good. If I can take some type of exfoliation pad or exfoliating face wash, stuff like that would be amazing."
My most significant beauty lesson...
"Two things that I've learned are [to] sleep with a silk pillowcase and one other one would be masks. I did masks [when I was] a little bit older. I'm really into masks right now and a lot of them help with various different things that could be going on [with my skin]."
For more of Serayah, follow her on Instagram.
Shop Serayah's Beauty Favorites:
Featured image courtesy of Serayah
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- EXCLUSIVE: Serayah Talks New Single, Long-Standing Love & Reinvention - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
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So, we handpicked one hundred It Girls who embody that palpable It Factor moving through us as young Black women, the kind of motion lighting up the world both IRL and across the internet.
It Girl 100 became xoNecole’s most successful program, with the hashtag organically reaching more than forty million impressions on Instagram in just twenty-four hours. Yes, it caught on like wildfire because we celebrated some of the most brilliant and influential GenZennial women of color setting trends and shaping culture. But more than that, it resonated because the women we celebrated felt seen.
Many were already known in their industries for keeping this generation fly and lit, but rarely received recognition or flowers. It Girl 100 became a safe space to be uplifted, and for us as Black women to bask in what felt like an era of our brilliance, beauty, and boundless influence on full display.
And then, almost overnight, it was as if the rug was pulled from under us as Black women, as the It Girls of the world.
Our much-needed, much-deserved season of ease and soft living quickly metamorphosed into a time of self-preservation and survival. Our motion and economic progression seemed strategically slowed, our light under siege.
The air feels heavier now. The headlines colder. Our Black girl magic is being picked apart and politicized for simply existing.
With that climate shift, as we prepare to launch our second annual It Girl 100 honoree list, our team has had to dig deep on the purpose and intention behind this year’s list. Knowing the spirit of It Girl 100 is about motion, sauce, strides, and progression, how do we celebrate amid uncertainty and collective grief when the juice feels like it is being squeezed out of us?
As we wrestled with that question, we were reminded that this tension isn’t new. Black women have always had to find joy in the midst of struggle, to create light even in the darkest corners. We have carried the weight of scrutiny for generations, expected to be strong, to serve, to smile through the sting. But this moment feels different. It feels deeply personal.
We are living at the intersection of liberation and backlash. We are learning to take off our capes, to say no when we are tired, to embrace softness without apology.
And somehow, the world has found new ways to punish us for it.
In lifestyle, women like Kayla Nicole and Ayesha Curry have been ridiculed for daring to choose themselves. Tracee Ellis Ross was labeled bitter for speaking her truth about love. Meghan Markle, still, cannot breathe without critique.
In politics, Kamala Harris, Letitia James, and Jasmine Crockett are dragged through the mud for standing tall in rooms not built for them.
In sports, Angel Reese, Coco Gauff, and Taylor Townsend have been reminded that even excellence will not shield you from racism or judgment.
In business, visionaries like Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye and Melissa Butler are fighting to keep their dreams alive in an economy that too often forgets us first.
Even our icons, Beyoncé, Serena, and SZA, have faced criticism simply for evolving beyond the boxes society tried to keep them in.
From everyday women to cultural phenoms, the pattern is the same. Our light is being tested.
And yet, somehow, through it all, we are still showing up as that girl, and that deserves to be celebrated.
Because while the world debates our worth, we keep raising our value. And that proof is all around us.
This year alone, Naomi Osaka returned from motherhood and mental health challenges to reach the semifinals of the US Open. A’ja Wilson claimed another MVP, reminding us that beauty and dominance can coexist. Brandy and Monica are snatching our edges on tour. Kahlana Barfield Brown sold out her new line in the face of a retailer that had been canceled. And Melissa Butler’s company, The Lip Bar, is projecting a forty percent surge in sales.
We are no longer defining strength by how much pain we can endure. We are defining it by the unbreakable light we continue to radiate.
We are the women walking our daily steps and also continuing to run solid businesses. We are growing in love, taking solo trips, laughing until it hurts, raising babies and ideas, drinking our green juice, and praying our peace back into existence.
We are rediscovering the joy of rest and realizing that softness is not weakness, it is strategy.
And through it all, we continue to lift one another. Emma Grede is creating seats at the table. Valeisha Butterfield has started a fund for jobless Black women. Arian Simone is leading in media with fearless conviction. We are pouring into each other in ways the world rarely sees but always feels.
So yes, we are in the midst of societal warfare. Yes, we are being tested. Yes, we are facing economic strain, political targeting, and public scrutiny. But even war cannot dim a light that is divinely ours.
And we are still shining.
And we are still softening.
And we are still creating.
And we are still It.
That is the quiet magic of Black womanhood, our ability to hold both truth and triumph in the same breath, to say yes, and to life’s contradictions.
It is no coincidence that this year, as SheaMoisture embraces the message “Yes, And,” they stand beside us as partners in celebrating this class of It Girls. Because that phrase, those two simple words, capture the very essence of this moment.
Yes, we are tired. And we are still rising.
Yes, we are questioned. And we are the answer.
Yes, we are bruised. And we are still beautiful.
This year’s It Girl 100 is more than a list. It is a love letter to every Black woman who dares to live out loud in a world that would rather she whisper. This year’s class is living proof of “Yes, And,” women who are finding ways to thrive and to heal, to build and to rest, to lead and to love, all at once.
It is proof that our joy is not naive, our success not accidental. It is the reminder that our light has never needed permission.
So without further ado, we celebrate the It Girl 100 Class of 2025–2026.
We celebrate the millions of us who keep doing it with grace, grit, and glory.
Because despite it all, we still shine.
Because we are still her.
Because we are still IT, girl.
Meet all 100 women shaping culture in the It Girl 100 Class of 2025. View the complete list of honorees here.
Featured image by xoStaff
Apparently, there was a Thanksgiving episode that featured all of the friends having dinner together. And y’all, there was simply no way that I was going to mention the latter without shouting out the original (amen?).
Okay, so with that out of the way — Friendsgiving. Something that I appreciate about twists to holidays like this is that it’s a reminder that there is no one way to celebrate special occasions. And so, if, for whatever the reason, you will not or cannot be with family during the holiday season, there are certainly other alternatives at your disposal.
That being said, if the thought of spending time with friends this Thanksgiving is something that you’d like to do, yet you’re not sure how to host it in a way that will make Friendsgiving a fan favorite for your entire circle — I’ve got 10 suggestions that can make the planning process easy as pumpkin (or sweet potato) pie.
1. Position Chrysanthemums or Orchids for Your Table Décor
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Let’s start with décor first. Listen, aside from cleaning up your place, you don’t have to be over the top. If you put together a really nice centerpiece or put a flower at each table setting, honestly, you’re all good. And if you’re someone who is big on details and symbolism, my recommendation would be to go with some chrysanthemums and/or orchids.
When it comes to chrysanthemums, not only are they a peak fall flower, they represent things like friendship and happiness. And orchids? They tend to bloom during the fall and spring seasons and, not only are they about luxury, certain orchid colors also symbolize friendship (for the record, yellow roses symbolize friendship too). Perfect.
2. Incorporate Scents That Cultivate Gratitude
Speaking of cultivating a warm and inviting space, you can never go wrong with scented soy candles — or at least having an essential oil diffuser in a few spots. Some scents that actually help to bring in the spirit of gratitude include vanilla, jasmine, ginger, cedarwood and frankincense.
3. Use Upscale Paper Products to Dine With
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Let’s be real — a lot more of us would probably host events in our home if it wasn’t for the mess that is left behind in our kitchen once the festivities are over. Wanna avoid that? Use paper plates. No, I don’t mean the cheap Styrofoam ones. SMDH. These days, there are paper (and plastic) plate brands that will low-key blow your mind when it comes to how bougie they look. Some that are worth considering are located here, here and here.
4. Handwrite Thank-You Notes (Use Them As Place Settings)
If you’re like Tiffany (from the HBO series Insecure — what a time) was at that memorable dinner party when all hell broke loose between Lawrence and Issa and you’re pretty anal — I mean, particular — LOL — about place settings, it’s a nice touch to pick up some blank thank-you cards that you can write a personalized “I’m thankful for you because…” message in. Place each one where you’d like each friend to sit. They won’t see it coming and it’s a really nice touch.
5. Have Everyone Bring Their Favorite Homemade Dish
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Okay, and what if what has you on the fence about hosting is you don’t feel like doing a ton of cooking? Chile, this is where the concept of having a potluck comes in. Get everyone to bring the dish that they claim they cook the best and make sure to let them know how many individuals you plan on coming (so that they will make enough). You can even make a game out of it by having everyone anonymously vote for the first, second and third best dishes out of the bunch. Take it up a notch by having a prize for each winner.
6. Take a Warm Drink and Dessert Poll Beforehand
You know what isn’t discussed enough about dinner parties? Folks bringing desserts that other people don’t even like. SMDH. You can avoid this from becoming an issue at your Friendsgiving by sending an email (most people prefer that to group chats; let’s be real — and make sure to BCC everyone as well) asking everyone to share what their top three favorite desserts and warm drinks are. Then pick the top 2-3 out of the bunch. That way, you won’t have a ton of (for instance) coffee cake or apple cider lying around that no one even wanted in the first place.
7. Create a Signature Friendsgiving Mocktail and Cocktail
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Speaking of drinks, another way to make your Friendsgiving memorable is to come up with a signature mocktail (for those who don’t consume alcohol) and cocktail. For the mocktail, you can also poll your friends about their favorite mocktail or fruits and come up with a mixture of your own. For the cocktail — although National Friendship Day is actually in August, I did peep that there are certain drinks that have been created in its honor. Some of them are located here for you to do a bit of tweaking on (if you’d like).
8. Ask Everyone to Share Their “Favorite Friend Quality” of Another
You know how it’s customary for everyone to go around and share what they are truly thankful for before having dinner? Well, to continue along with the Friendsgiving theme, have each person share what their favorite friend quality is about the person to their right. If folks are just meeting each other for the first time, instead they can share what they value the most in friendship overall, along with a story of how it was displayed to them personally over the past 12 months.
9. Send Each of Your Guests Home with a Fresh Gratitude Journal
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Wanna send folks home with a nice parting gift? It would be so on-trend to give each of them a gratitude journal. Listen, we are in some crazy times right through here (at least in the States) and so, encouraging your friends to set some time aside, regularly, to think about and then outwardly express what they are grateful for? That helps to keep stress down, keep things in perspective and it reminds us all to maintain a positive mindset as much as possible.
10. Watch a Nostalgic Movie
While everyone is enjoying dessert and drinks, how about watching a movie that brings back fond memories? A list of some of the most popular movies to come out previous Thanksgiving weekends is located here and a list of some favorite Black holiday-themed films can be found here. It’s a way to wind down and share some laughs before everyone heads home.
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Friendsgiving. What a wonderful way to celebrate your friends while also observing Thanksgiving in a way that is totally on your terms. And now that you know how to put it together, what are you waiting for? Hit your friends up and let them know that, whether it’s on actual Thanksgiving Day or a few days before or after, you’ve got a special dinner in mind.
One that has a good time with amazing friends written ALL over it.
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Featured image by PeopleImages/Shutterstock