Healthy-looking skin is fine. Healthy, glowy skin is fire.
Since summer began, I’ve been obsessing over having the most radiant skin from head to toe. I’m talking illuminating so bright, Golden Hour looks like it lasts all day. There’s a lot of factors to consider when searching for the perfect body glow product because they all serve different purposes. I, personally, love more of a wet look but my best friend prefers to shimmer like a character from Twilight. There’s also the consideration of those who like a natural gleam that melts into the skin. Some products come in the form of a serum or oil, some are scented with beneficial ingredients, and a few even have SPF protection.
It can be overwhelming. Luckily, I’ve tried and tested a number of body products, both editor-recommended and influencer-approved, so you don’t have to. Below are my six favorite products that’ll give you the summer body glow you deserve.
Keys Soulcare Sacred Body Oil
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Being the all-natural queen she is, Alicia Keys’ body oil is exactly what I expected. Soulcare’s Sacred Body Oil is simple, minimalistic, and light. It’s the perfect day-to-day addition to establishing the “your skin always looks so healthy” reputation. I’m not a huge fan of the marula oil’s earthy scent, but wearing it over my Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Radiant Lotion breaks it down. They also play nicely together as hydrators since the Sacred Body Oil includes baobab and jojoba oil. I appreciate the dropper style of distribution so I have better control of the amount used compared to pump bottles.
Bonus points for a little bit going a long way. When I tell you my skin looks like I just stepped out of a natural spring…chef’s kiss.
Refy Body Glow
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If you were a 2023 Glaze Donut nail girly, you’ll appreciate Refy’s Body Glow. It’s described as a “lightweight moisturizer,” which is definitely true, but the real highlight is its pearly pigment that literally turns you into a walking glazed donut. The Body Glow only comes in the shade Topaz but is complimentary to all skin tones. Personally on my dark skin, I looked both glowy and slightly bronzed.
It’s a thicker consistency than the others on our list but isn’t heavy or greasy.
There is a very light shimmer that you only really see in the sunlight. If even that subtlety still isn’t your thing, you might opt for the next up on our list.
Kopari Sun Shield Body Glow
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Kopari’s Body Glow is another pearly goodie but without the shimmer. It melts into and enhances your skin’s richness more than anything else. The best thing is its UVA and UVB ray protection components. All three shades contain SPFs of different ranges – Rose Gold 45 (pictured), Gold 50, and Amber 30. Of course, everything has its cons. I found myself re-applying it almost every hour to look refreshed.
A trick I found helpful à la TikTok recommended topping it off with setting spray. I got the best results from Urban Decay’s All Nighter with Hyaluronic Acid and Milk Makeup’s Hydro Grip Spray. They’re both water-based, with over 10 hours of long-lasting results.
Pixi On-The-Glow Bronzer + Laneige Glowy Makeup Serum
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Here’s a 2 for 1. For the girlies who like a bronzed, dewy look, this one's for you. Pixi’s On-The-Glow Bronzer takes a turn from the previous products. It’s in the form of a stick so I apply it directly from the tube and blend it with my fingers. I honestly wish Pixi made a jumbo stick for the full body. This less than an ounce tube is best used on the face, neck, collarbone, and (if you’re feeling extra) cleavage. Buildable colors like “RichGlow” (pictured) and “BeachGlow” are ideal for deep skin tones and are perfect for adding warmth to your face instead of using contour products.
Aside from looking like Laneige literally crushed up diamonds for this formula, the Glowy Makeup Serum is just as beneficial as it is pretty. Directions include adding drops to your foundation for long-lasting wear or using it as a makeup primer. I prefer to use it as the final step to my skincare even after sunscreen if I’m in a minimal makeup mood. Honestly, I haven’t used a face serum that’s kept my skin this hydrated for hours.
ILIA Liquid Light Serum Highlighter
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Remember the Twilight friend I mentioned? ILIA’s Liquid Light Serum Highlighter is her in a bottle. You know how we add highlighter under our brows to enhance the arch and illuminate our eyes? Imagine that effect all over your body with the addition of ultra shimmer. At first glance, I didn’t expect to see a difference between any of the three shades – “Nova,” “Atomic,” and “Astrid” (recommended for deep tones). But there actually are noticeable subtle changes in their gold hues. I stayed away from Nova (soft gold) because I noticed a bit of a white cast after applying it, but “Atomic” (pink pearl) wasn’t as unforgiving.
Pro tip: add a small dot to your foundation before applying it to your face and neck to keep the look even. Thank me later.
Gorgeous skin doesn’t stop at your face. Your body deserves to shine, too! Treat yourself to one or all of these goodies and let your summer skin get its glow on.
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Now, with more than 20 years of experience in professional aviation, starting with American Eagle Airlines and then on to becoming a captain at American Airlines, she has continued to pay it forward. In 2022, she made history as the first commercial airline captain to lead an all-Black, women-led flight crew. She has also written a biography on Bessie Coleman, the first African-American and Native-American woman to earn a pilot’s license, and produced and directed, Discovering Bessie Coleman, working alongside the family to get the project completed. Add to that her role as a founder of consulting firm LadyAv8rBeth, which offers a guide of pathways into aviation, and as a podcast host covering all things aviation.
For Women’s History Month, xoNecole caught up with the busy pilot, in between flights, to talk about her career journey, her role in a Bessie Coleman documentary and book, how she balances self-care and safety, and how other Black women can add to the aviation legacy:
xoNecole: You’ve built an successful career in aviation. And you were only 15 and already had your first flight. Were you afraid at all, or did it feel like second nature to you?
Beth Powell: It felt completely natural. There was no fear, just excitement and curiosity.
Now, it’s what they call STEM, and my teacher at the time thought that I was really good at numbers. He recommended three career paths, and I tried the first one.
I didn't understand why it made sense back then at 15, but as I grew up and met other pilots, I recognized that the reason I liked math and physics was that we were technical learners. So we like to break things apart and put them back together. We like to check procedures. We like to write manuals. We were technical artists.
xoN: That’s such an important message. Many young women and girls are often discouraged from pursuing careers in STEM or aviation, so it’s incredible to hear your story. Now, fast forward a bit—how did you transition into your corporate career with larger airlines?
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BP: After that first discovery flight, I quickly finished my high school classes and graduated at 16. By 17, I had earned my private pilot’s license, and by 18, my commercial license. Then, I moved to the U.S. to attend flight school in Florida. While working on my degree in professional aeronautics, I began working for American Eagle Airlines at just 21. Over the years, I’ve built my career and have now spent 25 years in the airline industry, including 14 years at American Eagle and 11 years at American Airlines. In terms of leadership, being a captain is key.
As a captain, I’m responsible for the aircraft, the crew, and the passengers. It’s a huge responsibility, and you learn a lot about leadership when you’re in charge of so much.
Being a captain definitely teaches you leadership. You’re in charge of every aspect of the flight from the moment you sign in to the moment you sign out. From overseeing the crew to managing the safety and well-being of passengers, you have to make quick decisions and take responsibility. Even when you’re starting out as a first officer, you’re learning vital leadership skills that prepare you for the captain role.
xoN: There's a lot going on with airlines right now that might make someone feel afraid in terms of some of the tragedies that have recently happened. How do you sustain your self-care balance and your resilience in the aviation industry when those sorts of things happen?
BP: I truly believe that aviation is still the safest and the No. 1 safest means of transportation. I say that proudly. For any airline, any pilot, any air traffic controller—anyone who works in the industry—safety is our number one priority. However, of course, we see things happening in the news, and it is concerning to passengers.
What I'm telling everybody to do right now, including myself, is that it's very important to have your source of strength. I'm a Christian, and one of my sources of strength is prayers. I go deep within my prayers every morning, and I pray to God, giving things that I can't control to him, and the rest— I can do my best to deal with.
No. 2 is meditation on the Deepak Chopra app. Ever since COVID happened, that was the first time I thought that I needed something more than just my prayers to help me go through to calm down the noise around me.
And last but not least, I'm really big on self-development. I read, I read, and I read. If your foundation is strong, you have something to build from. And so, when I read, I learn a lot about myself. I learn about what triggers me and when something triggers me. I literally hear the Kendrick Lamar song, "TV Off" in my head, because sometimes you need to shut the noise off.
xoN: That's amazing—the combination of faith and just being excellent at what you do. Now, how did you get involved with the Bessie Coleman project?
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BP: I sit on the board of advisers for an organization called Sisters of the Skies, and was at a gala celebrating with all our Black women of our achievements. At the end of the night, Dr. Sheila Chamberlain walked up to me. She was the first Black woman U.S. combat intelligence aviator in the Army. So, if she's walking up to me, it's very serious. She said, ‘I have a favor to ask.’ I said, ‘Yes.’ I did not hear what the favor was. I didn't know what she was going to ask me, but somebody like that walking up to you saying, ‘a favor’? The answer is yes.
She told me [the project involved] helping the Bessie Coleman family elevate the story. ‘I'd like you to ask your company if they will do a flight in honor of Bessie Coleman.’ I went to the different departments at American Airlines, and the rest was literally history. We did that flight on August 8, 2022, and it became a historical flight because everyone on that flight, from the ground up, was a Black woman.
Gigi Coleman, Bessie’s grand-niece, was also on that flight. We started chatting at the end of the flight. Another night, we were hanging out—Sheila, Gigi, and I—and she kept telling me she wanted to write a book, that she wished there was a movie, and that people approached her about it. Nothing had been done as yet. And I thought, sounds like another mission.
I literally took it on. We do have a documentary with the family sharing their perspective of who Bessie Coleman is. And we do have a book called Queen of the Skies.
xoN: For the young women who are looking for career paths in aviation, what are some skills they need to thrive?
BP: While you don't necessarily have to love math to be a pilot, technical knowledge is important. You’ll need to understand aircraft systems and aerodynamics. This includes weather patterns and instrument training. It might seem daunting at first, but the great thing about flight training is that it builds on itself. The more you learn, the more it all clicks. Also, aviation is constantly changing, and you need to be adaptable.
It’s a field where you need to be ready for anything, from unexpected weather to technical issues. Being open to learning new things and adjusting to change is crucial.
My daughter, who has her private pilot’s license, once said, “This journey is both challenging and rewarding. I feel like I’ve grown so much since starting.” It’s important to keep going, even when it gets tough.
To help others, I’m outlining how they can go from “zero to hero” as a pilot. I offer this information freely on my Instagram account, and it’s something I’m passionate about sharing. I want everyone to have access to the resources they need to follow their dreams.
For more information on Beth Powell, the Bessie Coleman documentary, and aviation career resources, visit LadyAv8rBeth.com.
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