The Top 5 Highlighters For Women Of Color
Whether you wear makeup everyday or once in a blue moon, I am pretty certain you have heard of strobing. Strobing is a makeup technique in which you only highlight your face without contouring. Strobing makes your face appear fresh and gives you that glow from within that majority of us desire.
Since I am addicted to glowing skin, this is my favorite makeup look during the summer!
I tend to buy a lot of makeup to test out on my skin, and I've learned fairly quickly that highlighters are not created equal for brown women. Some of the most hyped highlighters that beauty gurus boast about appear ashy or rather white on brown skin which is not appealing at all. This led me to go on my own personal highlighter project to figure out what glowing products are great for women of color.
YouTube is a great resource for a variety of things including makeup. There are a large number of makeup artists who are highly knowledgeable on the perfect highlighters that will have your melanin shining bright like a diamond, and so I decided to pull recommendations from vloggers Jackie Aina, Cydnee Black, and Irishcel Puello on highlighters that work best for brown skin.
Here are five of their favorite highlighters:
Becca Topaz
- Becca is known for making some of the greatest highlighters in the beauty industry. This is why beauty guru, Jackie Aina, recommended this product to me when I asked about her favorite highlighting items. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed- Tropaz will give you that after-vacay glow that will have heads turning.
ColourPop Parasol
- Beauty blogger, Cydnee Black, raves about ColourPop's parasol highlighter because it does not appear ashy or too white on dark skin. This specific highlighter is only available for purchase in their strobing kits but a good alternative is the KaePop (Highlighter- Glo Up). ColourPop's highlighters are only $8 but are high quality, highly pigmented products that appears as a high-end highlighters. My favorite highlighter from the brand is Avalon because it gives a beautiful, golden highlight.
Anastasia Beverly Hills- Peach Nectar
- Anastasia Beverly Hills recently launched their own set of highlighters and everyone have been raving about them, including beauty guru, Iris! In her latest YouTube video, she recommends peach nectar for brown skin tones. She states that this specific highlighter will give your brown skin a nice flesh of color with a gorgeous glow. Basically, it is a highlighter and blush in one product.
JCat Beauty- Bora Bora Beach
- This beauty item is actually listed as a baked bronzer but hear me out. Cydnee had this on her favorite highlighter list because you receive the most gorgeous golden glow from this product without having to break the bank. This gold bronzer is only $8 which is a fraction of the price of many popular highlighting items.
Becca Cosmetics- Rose Gold
- This is one highlighter that is not spoken about often but Jackie believes that it deserves more recognition and praise. Becca's Rose Gold Shimmering Perfector is a cool-tone pink shimmering powder that will not have your chocolate skin appearing ashy. Plus, this product is a great option for the days when you are not craving a golden glow on your cheek.
No matter if you are wearing a full face of makeup or not, these five highlighters will certainly have you shining bright during the day or night.
And if you need a little tutorial to help you get your strobing game strong, here's a great one from beauty vlogger Missy Lynn.
Are any of these makeup products on your favorite highlighters' list? What is your favorite highlighting product?
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ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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If you’re like many other people who are prioritizing wellness these days, then attending a wellness retreat might be something to consider. Wellness retreats are a cool way to get the relaxation you’ve been missing in a space with like-minded people who share a common goal. I descended upon my first wellness retreat, the Mind, Body, + Sol Retreat, a couple of weeks ago at the Zoëtry Agua Punta Cana Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Zoëtry Agua is part of the Inclusive Collection for the World of Hyatt. It is nestled on a secluded part of Uvero Alto beach, which has crystal blue waters. The resort itself is picturesque, with its thatched roofs and lazy rivers that make you feel like you’re in a cute little village.
Mindy, Body, + Sol Retreat was hosted by Koya Webb, holistic health and wellness coach and yoga instructor, and it also featured other wellness practitioners who combined provided the ultimate gift of relaxation and getting back to oneself.
The first night was a Welcome Dinner that featured a five-course meal and an opportunity to meet our companions for the next three days. The food was impeccable and the only downside was that I wasn’t able to finish it all. The next day, however, was the official start of the classes, and I was ready to dive in.
Aura and Chakra Reading
Aura and chakra reading
Photo courtesy
My first class was an aura and chakra reading led by Laura McCann and James Levinson, an Asheville, NC couple. I’ve had chakra readings before, but never like this. There was a computer, a camera, and a scanner, which I placed my hand on for the reading. After two minutes, I received a 15-page report explaining my aura and chakra reading.
It breaks down what the colors of your aura are and what your chakras say. My main colors were green and yellow, which were defined by a variety of things. The top of my aura was green, meaning I have a social mental state and I’m a natural healer. My aura on my left side was yellow meaning my energy flowing is optimistic and light and so on.
After James discussed the findings with me, I then met with Laura, who gave me aromatherapy oils from their ADORAtherapy line that represented each chakra. She further explained the results of my chakra reading and shared how each oil can assist. Chakras are the energy centers in our body, and there is a total of seven: root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, and crown. All of my chakras were high except for my heart chakra, which I have since been working on. I may follow up about that in another article.
Sound Bath
Sound bath class
Photo courtesy
Next was the sound bath class. It was located in the spa, which was indoor/ outdoor and the perfect setting for this kind of experience. Andrew Francis and Carrie Bailey of Zenden Meditation were the co-pilots in transporting attendees into a place of tranquility. I laid down, closed my eyes, and allowed the sounds around me to bring me into a relaxing state. From the singing bowls to the wind chimes, I was in heaven. I even fell asleep and got some of the best rest I’ve had in a while. It was a beautiful experience. However, remember when I noted it was an indoor/ outdoor venue? I forgot to put on bug spray and woke up pretty itchy. But it didn’t stop me from enjoying the moment.
Tea Party
Art of Tea Ritual Tea Party
Photo courtesy
The last event of the day was the Art of Tea Ritual located in the resort’s tea garden. It was everything you could want in a tea party. Delectable treats such as cookies, cakes, and white chocolate-covered strawberries, which are my fave. And, of course, tea. While I got to sip tea, I also got to make my own tea blend. There were many different teas to choose from, like hibiscus to your regular black tea. I decided to mix rose and mint and I called it RoseMint. I didn’t get to try my tea blend until I got home, and I’ll be honest, it’s probably the best tea I ever had. The tea herbs taste so fresh, and I love how fragrant it smells.
Breathwork
Breathwork Class
Photo Courtesy
The next morning was all about breathwork. If you exercise regularly, then you probably know the importance of breathing. But there’s more to it besides remembering to breathe during your workout. Margaret Townsend is a breathwork facilitator who helps people achieve wellness by consciously changing their breathing patterns. In her class, I learned to change my breathing pattern for energy as well as for relaxation. While I know that breathing is a relaxation tool, I was blown away to learn that it can also energize you. Because it was a different breathing pattern, I was also able to stay present and keep a steady pace.
Yoga
Koya Webb's yoga class
Photo courtesy
The final class of the retreat was evening yoga with Koya Webb, who, as I mentioned earlier, was the host. Her class was held beside the beautiful Uvero Alto beach, which made for a stunning backdrop and the perfect way to end the retreat. It was important for me to get back into my body after not doing yoga for a few weeks, so I was really focused on nailing the moves. However, Koya kept the energy light and fun, evening cracking a few jokes throughout, which made it easy for me to relax and enjoy the moment. She ended the class with a dance break and hugs from our classmates.
The Mind, Body, + Sol Retreat reminded me how important it is to take time to love on myself. Each class was an opportunity to be present and get reacquainted with oneself in the most loving way. Being surrounded by individuals who encouraged my journey was what I needed, and I am so honored to have had this experience.
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