

Going Viral: These 7 Beauty Products Have 'Glowing' Reviews On For A Reason
Within the last year, TikTok has slowly gained most of my attention when it comes to my preferred social media platform. While I’m still getting accustomed to the app and all that it offers, I'm learning that it’s a go-to resource for beauty hacks and product recommendations. Gone are the days of the long format YouTube product review, TikTok is the quickest way to judge whether a viral product or beauty tool is actually “For You” in 60 seconds or less. The new generation of social media influencers gives us access to real reviews at our fingertips from the girl next door excitedly sharing her recent discovery of relatable skin and beauty products you never knew you needed.
After asking my TikTok-obsessed friends and spending countless hours watching product reviews, I decided to include a list of summer beauty products everyone will love regardless of their skin’s texture and tone. Gone are the days of face palettes and full glam, the natural makeup trend is taking over and I’m absolutely here for it. No more cakey layers and complicated applications, these barely-there makeup products are receiving glowing reviews.
Let's face it, everyone's an influencer in their own right so stay camera-ready with these lightweight easy-to-apply products, no filter required.
1. Saie Beauty's Glowy Super Gel Lightweight Dewy Highlighter
@shadaenotadu Saie’s glowy super gel + the sun = an amazing glow ✨ #MyRecommendation #UnwrapTheDeals #fyp #beautyhacks
A lightweight multi-use illuminator, Saie Beauty’s Glowly Super Gel Lightweight Dewy Highlighter is the perfect solution for glowing dewy skin this summer. Wear it alone, under foundation, or as a highlighter using just 1-2 pumps. This beauty find is perfect for an all-over coverage glow on your face (and bare skin like chest and collarbones, shoulders and legs) with nothing more than a little sunshine for enhanced healthy looking skin. For even more facial coverage, use it as a base underneath a few drops of serum, tinted moisturizer, or your favorite foundation. Created for all skin tones and types, this product is definitely a game-changer.
2. Charlotte Tilbury’s Hollywood Flawless Filter
@nenaschuurmans Everybody uses this and I get why, this is amazing @Charlotte Tilbury #charlottetilburymakeup #flawlessfilter #makeuptest #skinbynena #glowyskintip
Inspired by social media filters, Charlotte Tilbury’s Hollywood Flawless Filter has proven to blur, smooth, and illuminate the skin for a stunningly youthful complexion. When on a mission for glowing dewy skin, this product seems to be absolutely worth the hype. Apply on its own, under a tinted moisturizer or foundation to achieve a radiant HD finish. Complete this everyday makeup look with Charlotte Tilbury’s Air Brush Flawless Setting Spray.
3. NARS Light Reflecting Foundation
@golloria ADD IT TO YOUR CART #makeup #beauty
NARS Light Reflecting Foundation is an innovative blend of makeup and skin care instantly blurs imperfections, smooths the look of textured skin, and helps conceal blemishes, dark spots, and redness. With claims to visibly improve skin’s clarity after six weeks of daily use with its advanced skincare ingredients, there’s no reason not to try this two-in-one product. For light to darker tones and for a range of skin types, including sensitive skin, this is intended to be 24 hour all day coverage with a natural finish.
4. Kosas Revealer Concealer
@kali.ledger using the @Kosas #revealerfoundation and concealer combo for an easy sculpted FLAWLESS base 😤✨ #kosaspartner #makeuptutorial #makeuphack #contouring
For a flawless base, Kosas Revealer Concealer does exactly what needs to be done. Concealer meets eye cream with this super lightweight and creamy formula intended for medium coverage, creating a smooth dewy finish. According to influencers across TikTok, this product not only enhances the look of their skin but the quality as well. This is another product that can be worn alone or mixed with your favorite foundation for a complete makeup look.
5. NYX Pore Filler Targeted Stick
@torilatise Is it worth the hype?! NYX Pore Filler Primer Stick. VC: @rocio.roses #makeuphacks #makeuptransformation #makeuptricks #viralproducts #viralmakeup
NYX Pore Filler Targeted Stick is pure magic, and that's no exaggeration. When I discovered this product, I couldn't believe my eyes as pores, fine lines, oil, and shine were blurred, seemingly disappearing with a few subtle swipes. For the best results, use NYX Pore Filler Primer, followed by the NYX Pore Filler Targeted Stick to target areas that need extra blurring, finishing with makeup application. Run, don’t walk to try this inexpensive instant blur while it's in stock.
6. Pixi Beauty On-the-Glow Cream Blush
@karinawaldron Can we talking about the best drugstore blushes? The pixi blush stick, is if black girl friendly? Lets try @Pixi Beauty #pixiblushstick #pixiblushreview #drugstoredupe #affordablemakeupproducts #makeuptips @karinawaldron
If you’re like me and always on the hunt for an easy and inexpensive beauty product, then this On-the-Glow Cream Blush by Pixi Beauty was made for you. Paraben-free and comprised of ingredients like aloe vera, ginseng, and fruit extracts, this is a tinted balm providing a hint of natural color while hydrating and conditioning the skin. Use one shade on both the cheeks and lips with one sweep to instantly pull your look together. You’ll be sure to find your preferred match as there's a range of colors that compliments everyone.
7. Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil
@natseleen_ The Berry colour 😍 which one would you try? #diorlipglow #diorlipglowoil
The Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil is an ultra-glossy cherry-infused lip oil that deeply protects and enhances the lips, bringing out their natural color. With the cherry-infused ingredients, it's a genuine lip care treatment that nourishes, protects, softens, and revitalizes your lips in an instant. I love the subtle pop of a rosy natural color that is still able to maintain its non-greasy, non-sticky oil texture while also creating a magnifying, mirror-shine effect. A multipurpose lip makeup, Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil can be worn on its own, as a lip primer under your lipstick, or as a top coat for volumizing shine.
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Featured image by PeopleImages/Getty Images
Exclusive: KJ Smith Talks Viral Wedding With Skyh Black: ‘We Did What We Wanted To Do’
Whether it was your group chat, social media feed, or your favorite media outlet covering the spectacle, I’m pretty sure you’ve come across the viral Black wedding between actress KJ Smith (Sistas, Raising Kanan) and actor Skyh Black (All the Queen’s Men, Sistas). From their grand entrance to Jay-Z, Kayne West, and Beyoncé’s song “Lift Off” to KJ’s standout dance routine and the endless celebrity appearances, it’s an addictive TikTok scroll you can’t help but delve into.
But what many people would be surprised to know is that the couple’s original wedding plan was nothing like what it grew to be. What started as her simply scrolling through posts to get ideas eventually transformed into what the internet knows now as #TheBlackExperience. In an exclusive conversation with xoNecole, KJ walked us through her planning process, the morning of her wedding, and what she thinks of the online response.
Some women have their whole wedding planned out, from the bridal gown and venue to the bridal party and playlist. However, KJ was not one of those people. “I didn’t foresee a wedding in my future,” she reveals. “I was just gonna be the boss chick, rich auntie. I didn’t force love in my life until recently. I never had an idea of what a dream wedding would look like, it was easier for me to elope.”
KJ Smith
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
And to many people’s surprise, that was their original plan – until Skyh brought up a valid concern. He was raised by his grandmother and thought she should be at the wedding, and naturally, that led to KJ wanting her grandmother to be there as well – then her mom – and later her sister – and, you’ve gotta invite the besties too, right? From there, the guest list continued to blossom. Much like the updo and pop of color bold red lip, she wore on her special day, which was initially on her Pinterest board as a soft glam look with her hair hanging on her shoulders, KJ is okay with changing her plan if it brings her and her loved ones happiness.
So let’s get into the wedding, which took place in Malibu, CA. The first thing you should know about the celebrity couple is that they’re non-traditional. They know, and they don’t care. So, in true unconventional fashion, they shared the morning of the wedding together.
“I woke up with Skyh, we walked our dog, had black coffee, and said good morning to the people who stayed at the venue with us,” she says.
Now, it was time for hair and makeup. While she was getting glammed up, she had Black-owned McBride Sisters wine and champagne (which ties into The Black Experience theme) on deck with her mom and friends, had her besties help rework her vows, retried on every outfit (sis is very Type-A), took photos, and ended the early-celebration with prayer and meditation. It seems very non-Bridezilla, I said.
“Yeah, I was the most unbothered bride ever. Everyone was just so supportive. As entertainers, we go on red carpets all the time. We actually have a production company,” she explains. “The get-ready process was like a day at work, but with people we love the most. Being entertainers, we didn’t feel stressed at all, but my excitement was so high.”
Things moved quickly, and before she knew it, it was time to line up to walk down the aisle.
“Yeah, I was the most unbothered bride ever. Everyone was just so supportive. As entertainers, we go on red carpets all the time. We actually have a production company. The get-ready process was like a day at work, but with people we love the most. Being entertainers, we didn’t feel stressed at all, but my excitement was so high.”
KJ Smith and her bridal party
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
Since everything started with their grandmothers, the couple wanted to ensure they honored them and planned to keep an element of their wedding traditional. Although we’ve all seen the reception videos and photos online, you may have noticed visuals from the wedding itself are harder to find.
“We planned for it to be traditional, but we’re not like that, so we tried to create those moments. We jumped the broom and had a salt ceremony (where the bride and groom individually pour salt into a glass container, symbolizing their lives becoming one.) But honestly, still, nothing was traditional about it.”
She goes on to explain that her mom caught the holy ghost coming down the aisle, her glam team was on deck, and she became so nervous with excitement that she had an anxiety attack – something she struggled with for years, she explains tearfully. Her friends had to literally cheer her down the aisle because of how overwhelmed she felt until she eventually calmed down.
“Skyh was standing there with his hand on his heart; we have our own little language, and I could feel the support,” she shares.
It was surprising to hear all these emotional moments happened before the party we saw online. That is until she once again got into the backstory.
“As a Black woman actress, for so long, it was popular to be mysterious and secretive, but that’s not who I am or what I like. Plus, we both wanted to create an experience for everyone there. We are the people who always host family and friends,” she says. “Like for me, the first order of business was getting sandals for the women so they can dance all night long. We had oxtail, D'ussé, and a coffee and sativa lounge – which is part of Skyh and I’s lifestyle and routine. We wanted to bring them into our world.”
Skyh Black (L) and KJ Smith (R)
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
She went on to discuss the dance routine she did for her husband at the reception, which has taken over the internet. Apparently, that’s another thing that didn’t go according to plan. According to KJ, she had promised a performance at their joint bachelor/ bachelorette party, but her outfit got stolen from her car. So, Skyh ended up performing for her – complete with a strip tease. Still, she never forgot her promise to dance for him.
So, she hired her friend as a choreographer, learned the routine, made friends and family watch it endless times, and attended Beyoncé’s Renaissance show a few days before for a confidence boost. It ended up being a show to remember. But that wasn’t all the night offered. Lil Mo performed, and the guests received special goody bags featuring their favorite Black-owned products like journals, hair care, and more.
“We made sure everyone was taken care of all night. That kind of stuff makes us happy. I wanted everyone there to experience the joy and love I have for myself, my partner, and for them. I wanted them to feel full and whole, and they had the time of their lives,” she says.
But naturally, the internet is going to internet, and while there were countless people praising the event and applauding the newlyweds, some thought it was too over the top. I was curious to know her thoughts on some of the criticism.
“It’s cool. We did what we wanted to do. I’ve decided to share my world with people. Just how I went on social media platforms and found inspiration, I want people to do the same,” she explains. “I don’t think it's fair to my supporters not to give that out. There’s so much I wanna share with brides, specifically Black brides. I love that people are adding it to their Pinterest boards."
"I wanted everyone there to experience the joy and love I have for myself, my partner, and for them. I wanted them to feel full and whole, and they had the time of their lives."
KJ Smith
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
“I’m happy with it because we did what we wanted to do. They can do what they wanna do. Don’t be cruel, though, because you will get blocked,” she said, laughing.
The more I spoke with her, the more her sense of freedom shined through. People are always going to have their opinions, but at the end of the day, it’s you who has to live your life, and it seems like the couple realizes that and embraces that power. She also stressed the importance of not living for others and the lessons life has taught her.
“I’ve been to countless weddings, and I’ve been in countless weddings. I’m a generally older bride. So when women in my demographic get married, and you and your husband are busy working people like us, you deserve to have the one you want to have,” she shares.
“This is what we wanted to do. Our loved ones love and support us. We did so much to honor them, but we also wanted to start our own tradition, legacy, and creation. I'm not going to be pulled back into ideas of the past when I’m trying to create a future with my partner. “
If you’d like to see more of the couple, you probably won’t have to wait long. Although no content is planned yet, she admits to being an oversharer. “Me being open and transparent about my experiences lets people know it’s okay to have flaws; it makes you human, and for many years, I didn’t believe that was okay. I had pressure to be perfect, and I’d crumble every time,” she explains to xoNecole.
Now, she owns her flaws and uses them as a superpower to connect with her community and feel and express her love.
“Some people give us [Skyh and KJ] a hard time because they say we just seem too perfect. I’m like, why is that a bad thing? I love the people I love. From my man to my mama, to my friends - unabashedly. We move through time and space how we want to move. If we did it another way, we’d let ourselves and our union down.”
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Feature image by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
The $1900 Anti-Aging Beauty Find Kelly Rowland Uses Almost Every Night
Every now and then, a celebrity name drops a tool or regimen that they swear by to keep their beauty and fitness game on lock. And every now and then, those finds make us think that whatever product they're using might be worth the investment. Today, Kelly Rowland just so happens to be that girl.
Over the weekend, while headling Beautycon, the 42-year-old singer revealed to PEOPLE that her biggest beauty splurge comes in the form of LED light therapy. She told the outlet, "There's this light by Shani Darden, the LED light, and it's not cheap. But I literally sleep under it every night."
LED stands for Light Emitting Diode, and in light therapy, these little diodes emit different wavelengths of light to benefit your skin. LED light therapy has seen an uptick in popularity for its benefits, which range from acne reduction and skin rejuvenation to pain relief and a more even skin tone.
She continued, “It's like a 20 to 30-minute time limit. When I'm under there, it [has] red lights, blue lights, and other colors of light. But those are the ones that I use the most, and they are so awesome because of the simple fact that they are like killing germs and [helping with] anti-aging, which is amazing."
Kelly didn't lie when she said her go-to beauty device was a "splurge." Retailing at a whopping $1,900, the Shani Darden best-selling LED Light Therapy Mask "is clinically proven to reduce acne, pigmentation, and wrinkles." Per the website, the re-engineered "diode LEDs deliver the highest dose of red, blue and near infrared light therapy in cutting-edge wavelength combinations for smoothing, clearing and brightening benefits."
Kelly is someone who gets badder with age, and over the years, the wife and mom have been vocal about her dedication to self-care through the use of beauty products. In a 2022 interview with PEOPLE, she shared her inner beauty philosophy, "Give yourself as many compliments as you possibly can. You start with one, you can have two. You have two, you can have four."
Keep scrolling for some of Kelly Rowland's other beauty faves, including a couple of additional Shani Darden finds:
Pat McGrath Labs Sublime Perfection Foundation
Pat McGrath Labs
"For me [with foundation] it was either not enough coverage or too much coverage … Pat [McGrath] found the perfect blend of them both," Kelly told PEOPLE. "This is actually my color, and it blends in beautifully with the skin – the texture of it is just like silk. I brush it on, or, sometimes I use the little sponge and push it into the skin. It's my favorite. She just nailed it, she really nailed it."
Shani Darden Skin Care Facial Sculpting Wand
The Cut
Regarding this product, Kelly revealed to The Cut, "I go up my cheekbones, across my skin and my temples with her wand — it’s incredible."
Shani Darden Skin Care Retinol Reform
"I've been with [esthetician] Shani [Darden] for almost 10 years. I was having the toughest time with my skin after I had Titan [seven years ago]. Before she sold this, she put it in a little tube for me and told me when and how to use it–she likes to educate, which I really appreciate–and my skin changed in a matter of two weeks." - via PEOPLE
Augustinus Bader the Rich Cream
The Cut
“Sometimes I use the Rich Cream, and sometimes I just use the Cream," she explained to The Cut about her product preferences.
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Featured image by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Beautycon™