
Full-Time Creative Tauri Janeé Brings Out A Red Lip When She Needs A Confidence Boost

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 had the pleasure of meeting Brooklyn-based creative Tauri Janeé when I was facilitating a conversation with her about the adultification of Black women during an online event curated by founder Yasmine Jameelah's organization, Transparent Black Girl. After speaking with the Black femme artist for nearly half an hour and doing a Zoom twerking session, I knew I had to speak with her about her glowing skin. Before we jumped into everything skincare, I wanted to know all about her career as a full-time creative and how it impacted her day-to-day life during the pandemic.
"I recently transitioned into being a full-time creative, meaning my income derives from the different creative projects I'm working on. Most of them are design-based which is affirming because I taught myself how to use Photoshop. I've also leaned further into influencing. I've always been intimidated by that career path, but quarantine has changed me," Tauri told xoNecole. "It's helped me realize how independent I can be and I've used that energy to invest further into my creative goals. In the past month, I've created more opportunities for myself than I ever did when I was a corporate girl."
In this installment of xoNecole's About Face, Tauri talks about a red lip boosting her confidence, using a face mask if she's feeling a little extra spicy for her skincare routine, and being inspired by Alicia Keys.
Her relationship with beauty and skincare…
"I'm still building a relationship with beauty and skincare. My high school prom may have been the last time I had on a full face of makeup. Right now, at this very moment, I still don't know the difference between primer and concealer. Growing up, the women in my family didn't place an emphasis on beauty. To this day, my grandmother will say things like, 'Who cares what other people think about how you look?' or 'Do whatever the [redacted] you want with your body!'"
My morning routine consists of...
"Unfortunately, I am one of those people who checks their phone first thing in the morning. I wish I could say I got up, drank green juice, then completed four sun salutations but that would be a lie. I also spend a good deal of time staring at the ceiling, trying to make sense of how every moment of my life has led to yet another day of me sleeping in until noon."
Tauri Janeé
My AM skincare routine looks like…
"When I remember to wash my face, I typically use Glossier's Milky Jelly Cleanser. I like it because it never leaves my face feeling stripped. It has a consistency that I've never felt in a face wash before. Afterwards, I use a toner from AMOREPACIFIC, followed by the Glossier Priming Moisturizer and an AMOREPACIFIC serum oil. My old job used to give away products that were gifted to us. I had to Google Amore Pacific and let's just say, when this batch is gone, ya girl does not have the budget to replenish it, ha!
"I'm always inclined to point out that I've been on birth control since I was a teenager and it has significantly influenced my skin. Often when people compliment my skin I respond with, 'Thanks, it's the hormones.' I don't say this as an advocate for taking birth control to manage your skin, but to highlight that it's not always about having the perfect product! Products I use during the day include Supergoop sunscreen, Glossier Rosewater Soothing Face Mist, Nivea Moisture Lip Care (this product has never failed me) and beauty supply store lip gloss."
My PM skincare routine looks like...
"If I'm feeling spicy, I'll apply a face mask. I like the Mask of Magnaminty from Lush."
How my skincare changes for the seasons…
"My skin gets so unbelievably dry in the winter. At that point, I'm practically inhaling moisturizers. My nose and lips suffer the most. I always make sure to moisturize them before bed. If not, I'll wake up with split skin to compliment the crust in my eyes."
My go-to makeup look consists of…
"I don't wear makeup. Every now and then, if I'm up for it, I'll throw on a red lip. My friends have a joke where they say, 'You know Tauri is feeling herself when the red lip comes out.' They aren't wrong. Nothing like the confidence that comes along with a red lip."
Tauri Janeé
How I approach beauty from the inside out…
"Drink water. I don't say this as a joke or to follow any trends. If I am not hydrated, I pass out. In grad school, I spent a day tanning in my backyard, only to faint on my kitchen floor later because I didn't drink enough water."
What self-care looks like to me…
"A good playlist, my journal, pastries and art."
My travel skincare routine looks like…
"My skincare routine goes out the window when I travel. How anyone can think of exfoliating while eating tapas on a foreign balcony is beyond me."
My earliest beauty memory…
"I used to rip pages of Alicia Keys out of magazines and show them to my godmother so she could recreate the hairstyles on me. Getting my hair braided are some of my earliest memories of feeling beautiful. I'd whine and cry throughout the process, but afterwards I would stand in front of the mirror in awe. I really felt like the girls on the cover of Vibe magazines. That's the power of representation.
"(P.S. There was a boy on my street who'd chase me around and say, 'Sing me a song, Alicia.' Shout out to him for gassing me!)"
For more Tauri, follow her on Instagram.
Featured image provided by Tauri Janeé
Adrian Marcel On Purpose, Sacrifice, And The 'Signs Of Life'
In this week's episode of xoMAN, host Kiara Walker talked with R&B artist Adrian Marcel, who opened up, full of heart and authenticity, about his personal evolution. He discussed his days transitioning from a young Bay Area singer on the come-up to becoming a grounded husband and father of four.
With honesty and introspection, Marcel reflected on how life, love, and loss have shaped the man he is today.
On ‘Life’s Subtle Signals’
Much of the conversation centered around purpose, sacrifice, and listening to life’s subtle signals. “I think that you really have to pay attention to the signs of life,” Marcel said. “Because as much as we need to make money, we are not necessarily on this Earth for that sole purpose, you know what I mean?” While he acknowledged his ambitions, adding, “that is not me saying at all I’m not trying to ball out,” he emphasized that fulfillment goes deeper.
“We are here to be happy. We are here [to] fulfill a purpose that we are put on here for.”
On Passion vs. Survival
Adrian spoke candidly about the tension between passion and survival, describing how hardship can sometimes point us away from misaligned paths. “If you find it’s constantly hurting you… that’s telling you something. That’s telling you that you’re going outside of your purpose.”
Marcel’s path hasn’t been without detours. A promising athlete in his youth, he recalled, “Early on in my career, I was still doing sports… I was good… I had a scholarship.” An injury changed everything. “My femur broke. Hence why I always say, you know, I’m gonna keep you hip like a femur.” After the injury, he pivoted to explore other careers, including teaching and corporate jobs.
“It just did not get me—even with any success that happened in anything—those times, back then, I was so unhappy. And you know, to a different degree. Like not just like, ‘I really want to be a singer so that’s why I’m unhappy.’ Nah, it was like, it was not fulfilling me in any form or fashion.”
On Connection Between Pursuing Music & Fatherhood
He recalled performing old-school songs at age 12 to impress girls, then his father challenged him: “You can lie to these girls all you want, but you're really just lying to yourself. You ain't growing.” That push led him to the piano—and eventually, to his truth. “Music is my love,” Marcel affirmed. “I wouldn’t be a happy husband if I was here trying to do anything else just to appease her [his wife].”
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 xoNecole/YouTube
Colman Domingo’s Career Advice Is A Reminder That Our Words Shape Our Reality
When it comes to life, we are always here for a good reminder to shift our mindsets, and Colman Domingo just gave us one we didn't know we needed.
In a resurfaced clip from an appearance at NewFest shared as a repost via Micheaux Film Festival, the Emmy award winner dropped a gem on how he has navigated his decades-spanning career in Hollywood. The gem in question? Well, Colman has never identified with "struggle" in his career. Let that sit.
Colman Domingo On Not Claiming Struggle
"I’ve never said that this career was tough. I’ve never said it was difficult. I’ve never said it was hard," Colman said. "Other people would say that—‘oh, you're in a very difficult industry. It's very hard to get work and book work.’ I’m like, I’ve never believed that."
Instead of allowing himself to be defined by other people's projections about their perceptions of what the industry is or was, Colman dared to believe differently even if his reality was playing catch up with his dreams:
"Like Maya Angelou said words are things. And if you believe that, then that's actually what it is. Actually I've just never believed it. Someone told me some years ago, they said, 'I remember you were, you're a struggling actor.' I'm like, 'I don't.'"
"I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living..."
He continued:
"Even when I was bartending and hustling and not having opportunities or anything, I never believed that I was struggling because I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living and creating and being curious."
Colman’s philosophy of attaching to living instead of struggle has blossomed into an enduring career. He first made his mark on stage in acclaimed Broadway productions before transitioning to the screen, where his star began to rise in the 2010s following his role as Victor Strand in Fear The Walking Dead. From there, his presence only grew, landing memorable supporting roles in If Beale Street Could Talk, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and the hit series Euphoria.
In more recent years, Colman has stepped fully into the spotlight with standout leading performances in Rustin and Sing Sing, both of which earned him widespread critical acclaim and Academy Award nominations for Best Actor.
With all that said, Colman's advice is no doubt powerful, especially for those who are chasing their dreams, building something from the ground up, or have question marks about what's next in their careers. Words shape our realities, and how we speak about our journeys even in passing matters.
Words Create Our Reality & Colman Is Living Proof
"I tell young people that. To remember the words that you say about yourself and your career are true. So, I choose to make it full of light and love and it's interesting and every day I'm going to learn something new even if it looks like I don't have what I want but it's important to be in the moment... you really build on the moments moment to moment.
"And you're looking back at your career as I've been in it for what 33 years and you're like, 'Wow, that's what I've been doing.' And I've stayed strong to that so I think that is truly my advice."
Let this be your sign to give your path a reframe. When the path you're on feels uncertain, the journey is still unfolding. Like Colman said: "I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living."
That's a Black king right there.
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Featured image by Soul Brother/Soul B Photos/Shutterstock