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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6 Spring Events To Boost Your Professional And Social Networks
When spring arrives, we all want to be outside, looking fabulous, and back to socializing. And now is the perfect time to add a few great events to your calendar to get you through the quarter in order to make new friends, build new partnerships, and talk new opportunities to level up.
Spring is a high season for networking and social events for Black women, with many organizations and event entrepreneurs booking prime locations and offering dynamic experiences that you can maximize in whatever way possible. Write down your goals, and get out there. Start with a few of these events between now and the start of summer:
New Orleans Jazz And Heritage Festival, April 23 - May 3
The New Orleans Jazz And Heritage Festival is a 10-day event held over two weekends, bringing together thousands of musicians, craftspeople, and food lovers to share in common threads of culture in the heart of New Orleans. You'll get to enjoy works by artisans local to Louisiana as well as from across the U.S. and around the world.
Black Food Truck Festival, April 26-28
Hosted in Charleston, S.C., the Black Food Truck Festival includes an opening party, access to more than two dozen food truck vendors, and a time to workout with other attendees. Charleston has long been known as a Southern foodie destination, with global recognition due to James Beard-awarded chefs heading popular restaurants there and a renewed focus on Gullah and Geechee culture and food in the region. And what better conversation ice-breaker than to talk about food with a new acquaintance?
Black Women's Mental Health Conference, May 4
Hosted by New York University, this is a one-day event to tackle issues of mental wellness and health that uniquely affect Black women and girls. The keynote speaker for this year is Kim Young, MSW, LCSW, founder of Dope Black Social Worker® and host of the podcast Revolutionary Hoodrat, and leading licensed professionals in the field will offer their insights and share their experiences. And, of course, no college-led event is without time blocked specifically for networking.
Strength of a Woman Festival, May 11-12
Anything with Mary J. Blige headlining or leading is a win, especially if we're talking about women's empowerment and enjoyment. This event will be held in New York City, and beyond the performances from some of our favorites like Muni Long, Jill Scott, and The Clark Sisters, there will be a Gospel Brunch. And even if you're not able to attend or concerts aren't your thing, just being in the city during that time will mean you're bound to run into plenty of other women to network with at local bars and restaurants nearby.
Carefree Black Girl Cookout, May 4
Held in the Queen City, Charlotte, N.C., this is a day festival amplifying the voices and brands of Black women entrepreneurs, artists, and creatives. There will be vendors, glam and beauty bars, and complimentary meals for the first hour (according to the platform's website). They're hosting another cookout in Philadelphia on May 25.
Black Women Leading Live, May 13-16
Touted as an “intimate retreat + conference,” this Virginia Beach, VA event will be held on a resort and is offering a professional development experience led by Laura Knights, founder of the Black Woman Leading® program and podcast. It’s an ideal fit if you’re a mid-level or senior professional, as the topics and approach are set to cater to those levels of career experience, with coaches and speakers pouring into attendees with a holistic approach.
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